The MATCH Act helps communities get faster financial help when dealing with watershed emergencies like flooding or erosion. Normally, if a community wants federal help through the USDA's Emergency Watershed Protection Program, they have to wait for approval before spending any money on cleanup efforts. This bill changes that by letting states, local governments, and Native American tribes start emergency watershed protection work right away and spend their own money upfront. Once they get approval from USDA, any money they already spent on approved emergency measures counts toward their required contribution to the project. Essentially, the bill removes the catch-22 where communities had to choose between waiting for federal approval or paying for emergency work themselves without knowing if it would be reimbursed. The USDA also has to create a clear list of what types of emergency watershed work qualify for this upfront spending and establish deadlines so communities know exactly how to request help and what the timeline looks like.

MATCH Act of 2023

Romney, Mitt

Making Access To Cleanup Happen Act of 2023 or the MATCH Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to (1) identify a list of emergency watershed protection measures the cost of which may be incurred by a state, local government, or Indian tribe prior to entering into an agreement with USDA under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program; and (2) develop procedures, including appropriate deadlines, to be implemented at the state level, through which such entities may request and incur the cost for additional emergency watershed protection measures. USDA must consider any applicable pre-agreement costs incurred by a state, local government, or Indian tribe for undertaking emergency watershed protection measures as meeting part of its contribution towards the project costs.